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Surgeon warns about risks of over-the-counter painkillers

ELEANOR HALL: One of Australia's leading ear, nose and throat surgeons is urging people who regularly use over the counter painkillers to think carefully about whether they really need them.

A US study has linked the use of aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen to hearing loss and Professor Stephen O'Leary is adding his warning, saying these drugs are designed to manage only short term discomfort, not chronic aches and pains, as Ashley Hall reports.

ASHLEY HALL: The new US study has raised fresh concerns about three of the most common over the counter painkillers - aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen.

The study found that men who regularly take the medications are twice as likely to suffer hearing problems than those who don't and younger men are most at risk.

For example, men under 50 who regularly took paracetamol increased their risk of hearing problems by 99 per cent.

STEPHEN O'LEARY: It builds upon previous studies that have shown that taking painkillers is not good for your health, particularly your blood pressure, and we have known about similar problems with the kidneys for many, many years so it wasn't a great surprise.

ASHLEY HALL: Professor Stephen O'Leary is an ear nose and throat specialist at the University of Melbourne and the Royal Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne.

He says this latest research adds to concerns about analgesics that have already been identified and he warns people using any of the medications regularly to rethink their treatment.

STEPHEN O'LEARY: Their blood pressure is arguably as much of an issue as their hearing although their hearing is much more my interest. They should be looking to speak to their doctors about why it is that they need to take these medications in the first place and they will do themselves a great service by working out how to get off the drugs.

ASHLEY HALL: The US study tracked the health and lifestyles of more than 26,000 male health professionals every two years for 18 years.

Researchers asked the participants whether they regularly used aspirin, paracetamol or ibuprofen and whether they had hearing problems.

Professor O'Leary says the methodology raises a few questions.

STEPHEN O'LEARY: That doesn't tell us whether it's the drug that is causing the problem or whether in fact it is the condition that has led to them taking the drug that is causing the hearing loss. So that is the biggest question that remains unanswered from a study of this type.

ASHLEY HALL: So does that mean there needs to be more work done in this field to detect whether there is a causal link?

STEPHEN O'LEARY: Yes, indeed. That is always the issue with epidemiologically based research, as this is one is, which is where you ask many, many people the same kinds of questions but of course, it really points us very much in the direction of doing focus research to look at the effects of drugs or more particularly perhaps what conditions have led people to take the drugs and whether those conditions themselves might be related to an increased risk of hearing loss.

ASHLEY HALL: Dr Gary Curhan is a physician and epidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and he was one of the study's authors.

GARY CURHAN: I think the take home message is that lots of people are using these medications. The reasons they are using them aren't always clear and patients should be just careful with any types of medications that they take because they may have side effects that we don't know about yet.

ASHLEY HALL: It's a message echoed by Stephen O'Leary.

STEPHEN O'LEARY: I think that these medications have been designed to help us through difficult times in life when we have maybe a cold or an acute injury and they have an excellent role there. Their potential side effects under those circumstances are very well understood.

However, it is the availability of such medications when people have a chronic grumbling problem and that causes the concern. There medications were never designed to help you with a chronic pain and it is that particular usage that is now being discovered as being quite dangerous.

ELEANOR HALL: That is Professor Stephen O'Leary ending that report from Ashley Hall.